LTB 279/19 – OPENREACH LTD – SERVICE DELIVERY PATCH LEAD (FORMERLY TEAM SUPERVISOR) ROLE
No. 279/2019
Ref: DB/LS
Date: 8 May 2019
TO ALL BRANCHES WITH MEMBERS IN BT
Dear Colleague,
OPENREACH Ltd. – Service Delivery Patch Lead (formerly Team Supervisor) Role
Please find attached correspondence from the company setting out the basis of agreement between the CWU and Openreach Ltd. on the introduction of a new Patch Lead role. Unfortunately the company issued communications which contained inaccuracies. This has caused a huge amount of upset and concern for many of our members. That mistake by the company is currently the subject of discussions between them and the National Team (NT).
As Branches will be aware, through reports previously given, the NT has been engaged in a set of negotiations regarding a new role between the Senior Engineer and Patch Manager. There will be c.900 Patch Lead posts each supporting up to c.15 team members. As a result of the increased ratios between the new Patch Manager and their team (up to 48 dependent on function), consideration was given by the company to place the new role in the People Framework. The NT is pleased to confirm that the new role will be a team member grade.
For clarity, no agreement has been reached on the grade or salary for the new role. That will be subject to the agreed NewGRID assessment process. This is confirmed by the company in the attached correspondence.
The new organisational structure is contained within the letter as Annexe A (referred to as Annexe 1 in the text). This clearly shows the ratios by function for Patch Leads and Senior Engineers. In addition, we have had discussions regarding the Coaching function and the fact that as a result of the new role the OMA role will cease. With regard to the OMA role within Network Solutions, there are currently c.70 in post and there will be c.74 Patch Lead roles available within NS. This provides clear opportunities for those impacted to attain one of the new roles. It is confirmed in the letter that the NewGRID and WF2020 agreements will apply for OMAs who do not transition to the patch lead role and they will retain their pay and existing terms and conditions.
With regard to the current Senior Engineer and Coach population, specific safeguards have been secured and these are set out in the letter, i.e. all existing Senior Engineers and Coaches can retain their existing role should they choose not to apply for or do not transition to the Patch Lead role. Further discussions will take place with the CWU in the coming weeks with regard to the work mix for Coaches and any backfilling arrangements for both.
The letter further sets out the responsibilities of the new Patch Lead role in relation to safety, performance, picking up work from the workstack, attendances (they will retain their current pattern), etc.
With regard to performance data as a result of the new structure, individual team members can, if they choose to, have access to their own information relating to quality, enablers and compliance but not productivity. This is in line with the Our Performance approach. In addition, the Patch Lead will have access to the data for the team members in their team but excluding the other Patch Leads.
The Patch Leads will be expected to have informal conversations with engineers in their team. However any formal processes, including anything which must be recorded on the HR system, will be carried out by the Patch Manager. Likewise, regarding safety, the overall responsibility for safety rests with the Patch Manager and the division of responsibilities is also contained within the letter along with details of the current safety courses.
We are discussing the appointments process and support available to those who choose to apply for the roles, which will be in the first instance restricted from the team member population to Senior Engineers, Coaches and of course OMAs. Any subsequent vacancies not filled at this stage and going forward will be via the normal processes. The NT is acutely aware that the appointments process needs to be seen as fair and transparent in the eyes of our members and we will seek to ensure this is the case.
The NT believes this is a move forward as part of our overall discussions on Career Pathways within Openreach Ltd. It will create additional opportunities for our members to progress. For clarity and confirmed in the letter, the contents of the correspondence relates to the agreement reached in Service Delivery. Discussions regarding new roles in Fibre Network Delivery (FND) continue and that will be the subject of separate correspondence and agreement.
A full and more detailed report on each of the elements will be given at the Openreach Briefing Committee on 14 May 2019 in CWU HQ.
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be sent to my office in the first instance.
Yours sincerely,
DAVIE BOWMAN
Assistant Secretary